Hat-trick hero Duric leads Stags rout in Brunei

Sapyri

By Eric Alder

0

Aug 26, 2013 01:17:00

The 43-year-old striker smashed in a treble as the defending champions humbled their opponents at home to open up an 11-point lead at the top

Tampines Rovers inflicted on Brunei DPMM their worst-ever home defeat since they turned professional as they thrashed last season's runners-up in ruthless fashion thanks to man-of-the-match Aleksandar Duric.

The former Olympic rower gave the home side a painful lesson after his hat-trick led the Stags to a 6-2 rout at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium.

DPMM's record against the Stags prior to last night was not promising, with four draws from their last five encounters, and this visit proved to be a measure of the gulf in class between the two teams - one, a shoo-in to win the title and the other just about keeping their heads above water in ninth.

Tay Peng Kee's men could not have made a more emphatic statement to the rest of the league as Vjeran Simunic's charges were humiliated.

The two sides were locked in a stalemate at half-time, but the second half was completely one-sided and the eventual margin of victory could have been a lot more convincing had it not been for DPMM's only shining light, goalkeeper Wardun Yussof.

Duric put Tampines on their way after following up Shahdan Sulaiman's saved effort and it was 2-0 not long after thanks to Khairul Amri's quick feet and clinical finish as the Wasps struggled to contain the array of attacking talent in front of them.

Substitute Adi Said pulled one back for the home side with his first touch of the game, glancing an Azwan Salleh corner into the net to momentarily restore some hope.

But Duric restored Tampines’ two-goal cushion after Firdaus Kasman found the veteran striker at the back post as the floodgates were burst well and truly open.

The 43-year-old wrapped up his treble after getting on the end of Jamil Ali's pin-point delivery as things went from bad to worse for DPMM.

The goal took Duric straight to the top of the S.League goal-scoring charts with 12 for the season, one better than Tanjong Pagar United's Monsef Zerka, and Tampines may now be considering extending the striker's contract as he continues to defy the odds of age.

Tales dos Santos managed to bundle in a second goal for the home side, but Diogo Caramelo cast all doubts aside with an emphatic finish off the back of Jamil's square ball.

Shahdan inflicted the final wound four minutes from time when he volleyed Jamil's through ball into the roof of the net to extend Tampines' healthy lead at the top of the table to 11 points.